The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1887-04-12

VI. l..
Wilder has been so successful in his
financial operations that no hitch is
likely to occur, and work Will be com
menced Immediately.
Our spirited fellow townsman has
pushed his scheme through with APP
parent speed, for from his leaving the
Islands to his return four and half
months elapsed, but he has been
planning and calculating for wears.
(An Act passed in the Legislature of
1878 was framed with a view to this
Railroad And it was his thorough
mastery of every detail of the subject
which enabled him TO bring matters
so rapidly to a head.
When Mr.. Wilder started east it
was to meet a party of gentlemen who
wanted to be thoroughly informed
upon the prospects of the Railroad,
but on his arrival in New York, the
financial panic had just set in and
nothing was to be done. The advice
of enc of the most prominent bankers
IN the United States was to cease any
efforts to get capital in that country.
Ventures such as the Hamakua Rail
road could be obtained and developed
close at hand. The scheme was not
speculative enough for the United
States. London, and London only,
was the place where so sure and steady
scheme would meet with ready as
sistance, and to London Mr. Wilder
went. There he communicated with
Messrs. Skinner & Co. and Mr.. Hof-
nung and through their assistance and
energy, backed by his own enthusi-
asm and power of making people see
with his eyes, he has proved com
pletely successful. His bonds are
printed and ready for distribution,
and SO soon as the Engineer has re
ported that Mr. Wilder's statements
with regard to the feasibility of max
ing the road and the productiveness
of the country are correct, the bonds
will be issued and the cash paid
down.
The scheme is truly great one and
will cause a boom along the northwest
coast of Hawaii. The lands to be
opened up are among the most fertile
on the Islands and are abundantly
watered. They will support large
population of small farmers, besides
afording opportunities to capitalists
for investments in sugar. Hilo will
make an excellent harbor, into which
the largest ships can enter, and which
from sleepy village will spring into
life and activity rivaling, and perhaps
excelling Honolulu.
In connection with the road consid-
cradle harbor works and warehouse
room will have to be constructed. A
large part, if not the whole of the pro
duce of the Island of Hawaii will seek
exit from the Kingdom through Hilo
Instead of a weekly steamer from Ho-
Hilo will have direct commu-
nication with the Coast, and we are
given to understand that the line to
be run between the terminus of the
Canadian Pacific and the Australian
Colonies will, in all probability touch
there, and that it will be one of the
resting places, or breaks in the Pacific
Gable.
These seem but dreams, but we be
lieve fully that few months even will |
take them out of the land of dreams
and make them actual and incontro
vertible facts.
Not only is the new Railroad going
to do much for the general prosperity
of the group commercially, but it is
also going to attract tourists. The
finest scenery in the Islands is to be
found in Hamakua; and Waipio valley,
which will form the terminus of the
line, is one of the wonders of the
world. Up to the present it has been
so difficult of access that it was re-
served to only the most energetic to
see its beauties. With increased travel
will come better roads, and the time
is not far distant when four-horse
coach will carry passengers with ease
and comfort to the Volcano of XII
lauea and car drop them in Waipio.
Mr.. Wilderr may well be proud of
his undertaking. He is going to as
sist his own fortunes certainly, but he
is going to add to the fortunes and
prosperity of the mass of his fellow
citizens during the process This is
looking at the practical side of ma
tional life On his own responsibility
Mr.. Wilder has raised, for practical
nearly as much money as the
has been bungling over
and which they have not
vet obtained in full. The money
which Mr. Wilder uses, will, every
cent of it. be put into reproductive
work. The value of property will be
the population will
be increased, the agricultural pro-
duction will be stimulated. All this
means increased revenue to the State.
And this man, with his energy and
his large business capacity might have
been applying the same energy and
to the finances of the coun-
try. We see what he has done. We
know his steamers, we know his adj
pluck in constructing the Ma
hukona Railroad We know that